Pentax: new firmware for numerous DSLRs, K-01 mirrorless
posted Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 8:38 PM EST
If you're shooting with a Pentax interchangeable-lens camera made in the last few years, there's a good chance the company has released new firmware for you, among a raft of updates today.
The new firmware covers no less than five different K-mount digital SLRs, as well as the K-01 compact system camera. In all cases, there's only one change specifically called out in the firmware, but Pentax also notes that it has "improved stability for general performance" for each camera. Precisely what that entails, we're not sure. Better stability can only be a good thing, though, so it would seem advisable to update, regardless of whether you need the tweak Pentax describes.
As for that one change that Pentax has specifically called out, it's one that actually won't be of huge impact for most K-mount photographers. That's because it relates specifically to one lens: the mighty HD PENTAX DA 560mm F5.6 ED. With limited production and a pricetag of US$7,000, the 560mm lens will be out of the reach of many Pentaxians, but for those who can justify the cost, it's unrivaled among current first-party, K-mount glass. The new firmware updates for each camera tweak contrast detection autofocus for better performance when using this lens.
So... which cameras are covered by the updates? The oldest models for which Pentax has issued new firmware are the Pentax K-5 and K-r, both of which shipped in October 2010. Every Pentax K-mount camera launched since then is also included: the K-01 mirrorless, and the K-30, K-5 II, and K-5 IIs digital SLRs.
More details and the firmware updates for all six cameras can be found on the Pentax Ricoh Imaging software downloads page.